The antigovernment protests sweeping a number of countries in the Arab world are the inevitable response to the capitalist crisis, as workers, peasants, and youth demand relief from unemployment, high prices, and government repression by authoritarian regimes unable to offer any future.

The capitalist government of Hosni Mubarak in Egypt, like his counterparts in other parts of the world, is completely dependent on Washington and London for its survival. It is incapable of leading any course out of the unequal trade, plunder of resources, and superexploitation of labor that defines Egypts relations with these imperialist powers. Lacking popular support, the regimes only response is armed might.

U.S. President Barack Obama said February 1 that he defends the rights of the Egyptian people to freedom of assembly, freedom of speech, and free and fair elections. Addressing himself to the people of Egypt, particularly the young people of Egypt, he said, We hear your voices. But in response to their insistent demand that Mubarak step down now, he calls for an orderly transition in the regime.

U.S. workers should stand in solidarity with the anti-Mubarak protestersU.S. hands off! Washington has no right to decide anything about the future of Egypt.

The working class is coming onto the scene through the unfolding battles in the Arab world. Space is opening up to organize, debate, be active in politics, and link up with other workers worldwide. Whatever the immediate outcome, the capitalist regimes there can no longer simply deny all freedom of speech, assembly, and press. Working people have gotten a taste of their power when united in action. They can move confidently on from here.

No revolutionary, working-class parties exist in either Tunisia or Egypt today. But its through mass struggles that break the shackles of intimidation and fear erected by these dictatorships that workers can begin to forge a leadership of their own and a course toward the fight for power.